Health NZ told to give private hospitals 10-year outsourcing contracts
Health NZ has been directed to give private hospitals 10-year outsourcing contracts to perform elective surgeries.
Health Minister Simeon Brown made the request in his Letter of Expectations to Health New Zealand's Commissioner Lester Levy, which was sent in March, but
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Government Welcomes First Medical Conferences Following Rule Change
Minister for Regulation Hon Simeon Brown Minister of Health Regulation Minister David Seymour and Health Minister Simeon Brown are welcoming confirmation that two of Australasia's largest medical conferences are coming to New Zealand in 2026, with a combined total of 3300 delegates expected to attend and generating millions of dollars in economic activity. The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO) will hold conferences in New Zealand. ANZCA is expected to attract 1500 delegates from around the world and inject more than $3 million into the local economy. RANZCO's Annual Scientific Congress is expected to attract 1800 delegates in November and contribute more than $2 million in economic activity. 'By ending New Zealand's prohibition on advertising medicines at medical conferences and trade shows, we've sent a message that New Zealand is open for business,' Mr Seymour says. 'Prohibition was introduced in response to the perceived risk that pharmaceutical companies may attempt to circumvent formal medicine approval processes. The Ministry for Regulation investigated this, found the overly cautious approach was out of step with other recognised jurisdictions, and the Government acted fast to fix it. 'As well as the millions of dollars this is expected to inject into the economy, allowing these products to be advertised provides medical professionals with more knowledge and skills to prescribe these treatments to Kiwis who need them.' 'This Government is committed to removing regulatory barriers so that we can drive economic growth. Removing the red tape around medical conferences has made New Zealand a better destination for conference organisers, while also making it easier for our own healthcare professionals to keep up with the latest innovations in health products and medicines,' Mr Brown says. 'New Zealand's current health regulations can be overly bureaucratic, and this is slowing down access to care, increasing costs, and making it harder for patients to get the services they need. "We are looking forward to welcoming more medical conferences to New Zealand, and we have great facilities to host them.'
Scoop
a day ago
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More International Doctors To Be Fast-Tracked
Minister of Health The Government has welcomed the announcement by the Medical Council of New Zealand that will see doctors from Chile, Luxembourg, and Croatia added to the Comparable Health System pathway, which will streamline the registration process and help strengthen New Zealand's frontline health workforce, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. 'This is a practical step that will help us get more doctors into hospitals and clinics across the country more quickly,' Mr Brown says. 'New Zealand is in an international contest to train, attract, and retain skilled medical professionals. The addition of Chile, Luxembourg, and Croatia to the list of Comparable Health Systems will make it easier for qualified doctors from these countries to live and work in New Zealand.' The Comparable Health System pathway enables international medical graduates from certain countries to fast-track their registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand, provided their qualifications and training meet recognised standards. With this latest decision, there are now 29 countries on the list, following the inclusion of Japan and South Korea earlier this year in February 'New Zealand has long benefited from the skills and expertise of international medical professionals. They play a vital role in supporting our domestically trained workforce and ensuring patients can access timely, quality healthcare,' Mr Brown says. 'This builds on other initiatives the Government has to boost New Zealand's health workforce. Earlier this year I announced a two-year training programme to support up to 100 additional overseas-trained doctors into New Zealand's primary care workforce. 'Over 180 expressions of interest were received for this programme, exceeding the number of places available. This strong response shows that there is untapped potential in New Zealand. Overseas trained doctors are eager to work where they are most needed, and this Government is opening the door for them to do so. 'Through our record $16.68 billion investment across three Budgets, we are making sure our health system is properly resourced to meet the growing demands placed on it. That funding is already delivering results, with record funding for general practice to increase capacity, upgraded urgent care services across the country, and a new 24/7 digital health service. This is how we are putting patients first. 'The Medical Council's announcement adds to the body of work the Government is undertaking to rebuild our health system around the needs of patients, so that all New Zealanders can receive the timely, quality healthcare they need.' Note: Chile, Croatia, and Luxembourg join 26 other countries that New Zealand recognises as having a comparable health system: Australia Austria Belgium Canada Czech Republic Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Hong Kong Iceland Israel Italy Japan Norway Portugal Republic of Ireland Republic of Korea (South Korea) Singapore Spain Sweden Switzerland The Netherlands United Kingdom United States of America
RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
Fast-tracked registration for doctors from US, Canada and Singapore
The Medical Council says a move to fast-track overseas doctor registrations will get qualified doctors into communities that need them faster. Photo: 123RF The Medical Council is making it simpler for overseas doctors to register and work in New Zealand. Registration for GPs from the US, Canada and Singapore would be fast-tracked, with applications processed within two months. Chair Dr Rachelle Love said the move would get qualified doctors into communities that needed them, faster. "At a time when the health system is under strain , these changes reflect our commitment to practical solutions that support safe care and timely access for patients." Meanwhile, doctors with recent experience in Chile, Luxembourg and Croatia would now be eligible to apply for provisional registration. Love said this recognised their experience in a health system comparable to New Zealand's and brought the council's list of comparable countries to 29 - joining recent additions Japan and South Korea. Applications through the comparable health system pathway would be processed within 20 working days. Overseas specialists from the UK, Ireland and Australia could also expect faster assessments to work in Aotearoa in approved areas of medicine - including anaesthesia, dermatology, emergency medicine, general practice, internal medicine pathology and psychiatry. These applications would also be processed within 20 working days. Health Minister Simeon Brown welcomed the changes, saying they would help strengthen New Zealand's frontline workforce. Health Minister Simeon Brown. Photo: Nathan Mckinnon / RNZ "New Zealand is in an international contest to train, attract, and retain skilled medical professionals. The addition of Chile, Luxembourg, and Croatia to the list of Comparable Health Systems will make it easier for qualified doctors from these countries to live and work in New Zealand," he said. "New Zealand has long benefited from the skills and expertise of international medical professionals. They play a vital role in supporting our domestically trained workforce and ensuring patients can access timely, quality healthcare." The changes built on other initiatives the government had in place to boost the health workforce, Brown said. "Earlier this year I announced a two-year training programme to support up to 100 additional overseas-trained doctors into New Zealand's primary care workforce. "Over 180 expressions of interest were received for this programme, exceeding the number of places available. This strong response shows that there is untapped potential in New Zealand. Overseas trained doctors are eager to work where they are most needed, and this government is opening the door for them to do so. "Through our record $16.68 billion investment across three Budgets, we are making sure our health system is properly resourced to meet the growing demands placed on it. That funding is already delivering results, with record funding for general practice to increase capacity, upgraded urgent care services across the country, and a new 24/7 digital health service. This is how we are putting patients first." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
